When the worst summertime heat waves hit your area, you may be tempted to turn your AC unit on full blast. You may even consider running it all day long to keep your home nice and cool throughout the heat wave. Explore how running your cooling system 24/7 can affect your home, your air conditioning system, and your energy bills.
How Often Does an AC System Usually Run?
The average air conditioning system runs in 15-minute cycles, completing about two to three cycles every hour. This adds up to a total operation of about six to eight hours daily. If your system runs more often, it indicates something is outside the norm.
What Can Cause Excessive AC System Running?
Your air conditioning system may run more often than usual for several reasons. Probably the most obvious is when a heat wave comes through your area, and the temperatures are higher than average. Your cooling system must work harder to maintain your temperature settings when it’s hotter outside than when it isn’t.
Another reason your cooling system may run more often is that it’s undersized for your home. A system that is too small to meet your cooling demands will constantly run to keep cooling your home to your desired temperature. Unfortunately, it never will. Instead, it will just drive up your energy bills.
Another reason your system may run is that your thermostat is set way too low. Most home air conditioning systems aren’t designed to run at temperatures below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. If you set the temperature on your thermostat anywhere between 60 and 67 degrees, your air conditioning system will constantly run as it struggles to meet that demand.
One of the more common reasons your air conditioning system may run around the clock is a malfunction with one of its components. When your system is low on refrigerant, it will struggle to remove heat from the air inside your home. When your air filter is dirty, it will restrict the airflow throughout your system and make your cooling system continually run to try and move more air.
If you have dirty coils, they will restrict heat transfer and the ability of your cooling system to reduce your indoor air temperature. Furthermore, problems like leaky air ductwork can allow your precious cold air to escape and never make it to the rooms of your home.
What Happens When Your AC System Runs 24/7?
As you have likely guessed by now, running your air conditioning system 24/7 is never a good idea. Doing so can lead to a variety of different problems. One of the most notable is higher energy bills. Because your cooling system will run 24 hours instead of 6 to 8 hours daily, your utility bills will increase two to threefold. Additionally, you’ll be increasing your carbon footprint by unnecessarily wasting energy.
Your air conditioning system is specifically designed to run only a few times per hour. If you opt to run it nonstop, its internal components will overwork. This will lead to more frequent breakdowns and higher repair costs over the system’s lifespan. You’ll even find that the unit will have a significantly shorter lifespan than if you were to run it regularly as it was intended to be.
Tips for Efficiently Running Your AC System
If you’re worried about high heating bills during the summer months, there are many things that you can do to ensure that you’re efficiently running your AC system. First and foremost, you should invest in a programmable or smart thermostat. These thermostats allow you to program in different temperature settings depending on the time and the specific day of the week. This can allow you to set a higher temperature when you’re not home, where the lower temperature won’t bother you, and you can save on energy costs.
Another tip is to consult one of our professional HVAC technicians about getting the appropriate size for your home. There’s no point in investing in a unit that’s too big, as it’ll run up your utility bills, while a unit that’s too small will run nonstop. Staying up to date with regular professional maintenance service and regularly replacing your air filters will ensure that your AC system functions as optimally as possible.
Another great tip is to consider a duct sealing service. One of our HVAC technicians will reseal all the joints in your ductwork to eliminate unwanted air leaks. This will ensure that all the cold air produced by your cooling system will make it to the various rooms throughout your home. Since we’ll be working on your ductwork already, this is also a chance to invest in a duct cleaning service. Additionally, be sure to block out natural sunlight by closing up your blinds to block out the heat from your home.
Helpful Methods for Staying Cool During a Heat Wave
A ceiling fan is one of the best tools you can use alongside an air conditioning system to stay comfortable during the hot summer weather. Putting these fans in each room of your home can allow you to feel a nice cool breeze that can decrease your body temperature without lowering the temperature setting on your thermostat. Running a ceiling fan costs much less than running your air conditioning system.
Another great tip is to ensure you’re not adding unnecessary heat to your home. Use an air fryer or microwave, or cook outside when cooking dinner. This will prevent heat from your stove or oven from warming up your rooms, and your air conditioning system will be required to combat the temperature rise. You may even opt for simply preparing cold meals that don’t need any heat at all.
Excess humidity can make you feel hot, sticky, and generally uncomfortable. Unfortunately, if you’re cooking on the stove or taking a hot shower without running your exhaust fan, you could introduce excess humidity into your home. Always utilize these fans to vent the steam these tasks create directly to the outdoors.
Investing in a whole-home dehumidifier is another excellent way to deal with excess humidity in your home. This can be ideal for dealing with Houston’s subtropical, humid climate. This whole-home dehumidifier gets installed directly alongside your ducting to treat air as it travels through its natural circulation process. These systems will allow you to set a specific relative humidity level that you want to have inside your home. If your cooling system cannot meet that particular level, your whole-home dehumidifier will kick on to help.
AC Services That You Can Count On
Mackey Services offers trustworthy AC service for the Houston, TX area. We can assist with all your heating, cooling, electrical, generator, and landscaping needs. For over 30 years, we’ve provided honest and reliable installation, repair, and AC maintenance services. Simply call Mackey Services today to book your next service call.
